Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-12-03
SAVED BY THE SERPENT
Miraculous Escape from One O
Two Roads to Death.

| Only few Of his many friends who
saw. ..and greeted Frank Palmer Of Fort
Totten when he Was In the city few
days ago are aware OF that gentleman's 3
narrow escape from a horrible death.
Always bold .and daring.iever vcntur-
some where danger turks. Frank under
took to cross the ice at the Narrows with
his team on his way to Devils Lake. He
had proceeded but..a. .few.yards whcn..t the
ice begun to crack and snap, and Frank
got out of his buggy and attempted to
lead his horses to the other shore. \ few
steps further proved to him that the at
tempt toscross must be abandoned. but
before he could turn around to get back
to land the ice had parted all about him,
leaving himself,!buggy and horses on u
floating island of Ice about thirty feet
square.
A moment later this cake OF ice had
separated. .leaying his buggy on one
piece and himself and horses on tho
other.
All that held the two pieces together
Il "oD SAC Su8S Va VIC AAElleSS S4klu IuS DOlC
Of the buggy.
The situation was dangerous and tho
emergency desperate,e demanding I'M
mediate action and quick generalship.
Frank had fought Indians on the plains
and been repeatedly chased bv grizzly
bears in the mountains, but had never
been cast out ut sea on floating island
of ice.
While medi.ating upon his awful sit
uation he heard Kissing sound and saw
tho ice and water between himself and
the land thrown into terrible commotion
10 II mighty monster OF tho deep were
engaged in unhinging tho brittle masses.
And twas even so!
1t was tho Sea Sorpcnt-that monster
OF our mystic lake whose strange ap.
pearanco and conduct havo previously
been mentioned in these columns.
Franks horses, trembling with fear,
did not move.
One wild plunge Of tho animals would
have sent the whole outfit to tho bottom
or into tho hungry NAV of tho monster
Hitching his team to an icohcrg that
Fato seems to have sent floating against
tho littlo island, Frank crawlod bacl,
into tho vehicle. and, grabbing - toma.
hawk. which he always carries as u sol,
venir of an Indian battle in which he
engaged way back in the '4u's, he pre-
pared to sell his life dearly.
| Nha uarpau I,.v;n,r I,r,,I. ~, ,,,,
channol botwecn the ice island and The
land, now turned its attention to tho
precious living freight thus set adrir.
| Rearing its ugly hoad high into the
air, the fro ofits leaning, flashing Dyes
making tho daylight dim, tho monsto,
made deadly plunge for tho buggy
biting out the tail-hoard Of the vehicl,
and taking piece OF tho floating islant
nj. the same bite.
Frank aimed Il deadly blow at its nose
but the serpent dodYod.
On it came second time and agai,
the tolnahawk descended with fearful
force. striking tho serpent between the
eyes and causing the sparks to fly as il
the animal. head had been 80 much
flint.
Tho third plunge Of the serpent WA.
even moro forociols than tho preceding
assaults, and the now thoroughly en-.
ragged monster fastened ITS fanys il,
the tail OF Franks buffalo coat
At the same moment Frank hook otl
tho toe of his left noccasin over tho dash
board and heldon for dear life.
Finding that it could not dislodge hin
tho serpent began to swim for deep WA
tor, pushing the ice island and its livin.
freight before it.
!. Hore was another crisis.
Gathering his scattered senses and hi
tomahawk. Frank dealt the serpent
heavy blow on tho sido ofthe head.
This caused the serpent to wig2lc its
tail In the opposite direction and, lIk,
! the action OF Il rudder, changed thl
c course Of the ice craft toward Ruisson'
: point.
Again tho serpent attempted to pusl
for deep water and again tho tomahaw wi
fell with awful force where it had hit be
fore.
Again the serpent's tail wiggled ant
again the course OF the craft wa
changed.
On. on they sped, with naught to drown
: the stiffness Of the wlntry air save tn
: occasional whack Of tho tOmahawk ant
the swish of the serpents tail.
A few rods more and tho ice islant
would strike tho shore!
Tho rate of speed at which the strang
craft was being propelled by the still
stranger engine causod tho cold porspir
alton to trick!c down Franks back lik,
an Arctic rivu!st.
Was he to be dashed upon the rock
and thero devoured by the monster tha
was unconsciously saving him from
death below the waye?
A few moments lnorc-eons OF time t
8 Frank would tell the tale.
{ The supreme moment had arrived.
Drawing a dagger from his Norwegian
sock leg, Frank, at single stroke, Gu
away the tail of his buffalo coat in whic
: the serpent's fangs we're fast.
Just then the ice island begun to crus
and grind upon the rocky coast.
] Another blow at tho monsters hea,
, with the toinahawk and wild, fierce
i. ear-splitting yell at his horses. an
. Frank was saved
The serpent slid back INTO the sea am
Frank continued his journey to Devil
Lake, reaching town ahead Of time.
III Marriape